Coding Frame Research Articles

What is it like for a middle manager to take safety into account? Practices and challenges

Aviation today is seen as a very safe industry, yet recent accidents have shown that vulnerabilities still exist. The literature has often drawn attention to the role played by top managers/CEO in running their businesses profitably, and at the same time keeping them safe from threats. Research has also investigated the way people at the sharp-end of organisations are ‘mindful’ of the possible threats that can occur in their day-to-day activities, and how they can anticipate (most of) them. But what about the role played by middle managers in ensuring safety in every organisational operation? Even if researchers now agree that middle managers’ actions are a valuable asset for organisations and central to pursuing key organisational outcomes, very little is known about how middle managers take safety into account in their daily operations, and the challenges they face. This paper reports on the safety-related practices and challenges of middle managers of the civil aviation industry. Within the Future Sky Safety project, over a two-year research activity, 48 middle managers from a range of aviation organisations agreed to talk about the strategies and actions they put in place on a routine basis, to embed safety in the daily operations. Methodologically, semi-structured interviews were conducted and the qualitative content analysis (QCA) method was used to make sense of the raw material, through a data-driven coding frame. The findings of this research suggest that the practices middle managers identify as central in relation to their role in the management of safety can be grouped into three high-level categories: (1) making decisions, (2) influencing key stakeholders to get the job done, and (3) managing information. This research adds knowledge in relation to the middle managers’ role in the management of safety, in particular shedding light on the competency that middle managers from the civil aviation industry rely on to get the job done when it comes to contributing to safety.

NHEJ-Mediated Gene Editing: An Efficient Approach to Correct Mutations in Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells from Patients with Fanconi Anemia

Non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) is the preferred mechanism used by hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) to repair double-strand breaks, and is particularly increased in cells deficient in the Fanconi anemia (FA) pathway. Here we describe for the first time the possibility to correct mutations in FA genes by generating compensatory indels that restore their coding frame. The efficacy of the strategy was first verified in FA lymphoblastic cell lines and then in primary FA CD34 cells, which acquired proliferative advantage and correction of their characteristic FAcell phenotype. Importantly, in contrast to homologous directed repair (HDR), the efficacy of NHEJ to edit primitive human HSCs was comparable to that observed in more mature progenitor cells, indicating that NHEJ-editing approaches should constitute a good approach for the editing of long-term repopulating HSCs and consequently for the treatment of FA and other monogenic hematopoietic diseases.

Predicting Drivers’ Eyes-Off-Road Duration in Different Driving Scenarios

Drivers consecutively direct their gaze to various areas to select relevant information from the traffic environment. The rate of crash risk increases with different off-road glance durations in different driving scenarios. This paper proposed an approach to identify current driving scenarios and predict driver’s eyes-off-road durations using Hidden Markov Model (HMM). A moving base driving simulator study with 26 participants driving in three driving scenarios (urban, rural, and motorway) was conducted. Three different fixed occlusion durations (0-s, 1-s, and 2-s) were applied to quantify eyes-off-road durations. Participants could initiate each occlusion for certain duration by pressing a microswitch on a finger. They were instructed to occlude their vision as often as possible while still driving safely. Drivers’ visual behavior and occlusion behavior were captured and analyzed based on manually frame by frame coding. Visual behaviors in terms of glance duration and glance location in time series were used as input to train HMMs. The results showed that current driving scenarios could be identified ideally using glance location sequences, the accuracy achieving up to 89.3%. And motorway was relatively distinguishable easily with over 90% accuracy. Moreover, HMM-based algorithms that fed up with both glance duration and glance location sequences resulted in a highest accuracy of 92.7% in driver’s eyes-off-road durations prediction. And higher accuracy achieved in longer eyes-off-road durations prediction. It indicates that time series of glance allocations could be used to predict driving behavior and indentify driving environment. The developed models in this study could contribute to the development of scenario sensitive visual inattention prewarning system.

Influenza vaccination discourse in major Canadian news media, 2017–2018

Influenza vaccine uptake is less-than-ideal in many jurisdictions, including Canada. In this study we sought to assess news articles relating to influenza vaccination by major Canadian newspapers during a six-month period relatively congruent to the seasonal influenza outbreak for 2017–2018. We identified 116 unique articles published between August 16, 2017 and February 15, 2018, then developed and applied a coding frame to them.Influenza vaccination was portrayed primarily positively (74.14%), sometimes negatively (14.66%), and occasionally neutrally (11.21%). Articles were most commonly focused on news about the prevalence, or amount of harm/death caused by, the influenza virus (31.03%), or on public announcements primarily concerning influenza vaccination (17.24%). Benefits of influenza vaccination were often stated (59.48%), most commonly including reduction in disease (47.41%) and protection of vulnerable individuals (26.72%). Issues or problems with influenza vaccination were also often stated (55.17%), most commonly relating to low or non-effectiveness of the vaccine (43.10%). Most articles stated that people should get vaccinated (65.52%).Canadian newspaper articles generally support the scientific consensus that influenza vaccination is a highly positive intervention. Nonetheless, a clear picture of the true value of influenza vaccination may sometimes be missing in articles focusing on low effectiveness and lacking any mention of vaccination's positive value. Overall, we can reasonably conclude that, in Canada, misinformation and antivaccination rhetoric are coming primarily from sources other than newspapers.

Reliable and Low-Latency Fronthaul for Tactile Internet Applications

With the emergence of Cloud-RAN as one of the dominant architectural solutions for the next-generation mobile networks, the reliability and latency on the fronthaul (FH) segment become critical performance metrics for applications such as the Tactile Internet. Ensuring FH performance is further complicated by the switch from point-to-point dedicated FH links to packet-based multi-hop FH networks. This change is largely justified by the fact that packet-based fronthauling allows the deployment of FH networks on the existing Ethernet infrastructure. This paper proposes to improve the reliability and latency of packet-based fronthauling by means of multi-path diversity and erasure coding of the MAC frames transported by the FH network. Under a probabilistic model that assumes a single service, the average latency required to obtain reliable FH transport and the reliability-latency tradeoff is first investigated. The analytical results are then validated and complemented by a numerical study that accounts for the coexistence of the enhanced mobile broadband and ultra-reliable low-latency services in fifth-generation networks by comparing orthogonal and non-orthogonal sharing of FH resources.

Motivators of MBWA and Communicational Factors behind Them: A Case Study on a Korean Shipyard

This study was conducted with a team of senior managers at a Korean shipyard in an effort to elicit particular motivators for implementing management by walking around (MBWA). To identify the key motivators and communication issues associated with them, a theoretical framework was produced based on the key tensions of social psychology of communication and upward communication as well as modern organizational theories. For this qualitative research analysis, 12 semi-structured interviews were conducted face-to-face with the executives; the data were then supplemented by five field observations during MBWAs at the shipyard. Coding frame was used to organize modal salient themes for thematic analysis. The organizational and individual motivators identified were then analyzed in-depth to elicit communicational factors underlying these motivators. While identifying 10 salient motivators as organizing themes, the research concludes that MBWA is a contingent management strategy intended to promote upward communication within organizations.

The involvement of Canadian physicians in promoting and providing unproven and unapproved stem cell interventions

BackgroundDirect to consumer offerings of unproven stem cell interventions (SCIs) is a pressing scientific and policy issue. According to media reports, providers of SCIs have emerged in Canada. This study provides the first systematic scan of Canadian providers and associated trends and claims.MethodsThe study sample consisted of 15 websites retrieved from a Google™ keyword search. The websites were assessed by a rater using a peer-reviewed coding frame that queried treatment location, stem cell offerings, treatment claims, supporting evidence, and legal and regulatory compliance. A second rater reviewed a subset of the websites for purposes of inter-rater reliability. Disagreements between raters were resolved by consensus. Data collected by the raters was analyzed in SPSS.ResultsPhysicians are the dominant treatment providers in Canada. Providers operate in urban and semi-urban areas in the most populous provinces. SCIs provided are mainly autologous adult stem cells for multiple conditions including musculoskeletal disorders, spinal cord injury (SCI) and diabetes. Efficacy and benefits of treatment are prominently and positively portrayed, while risks are not mentioned or portrayed as trivial. Regulatory concerns are not discussed.ConclusionsThe involvement of physicians in promoting and providing unproven and unapproved SCIs raises significant ethical, legal and regulatory concerns. Treatment claims and trends appear to contravene applicable professional standards, statutory obligations, and consumer protection laws. While the number of providers observed is still marginal, urgent and proactive regulatory response is needed to prevent proliferation of a potentially exploitative and harmful market for unproven SCIs in Canada.

Informacja jako przedmiot zobowiązania umownego

Information as a matter of contractual obligation, thus far has not been subject to complex considerations of civil law science. In this respect, judicature either, does not provide plausible material for analysis. The basic aims of the author`s publication were focused on an attempt to systematize knowledge concerning information within civil law aspect together with highlighting still multiplying classification and interpretative difficulties which stem from certain legal solutions (possibly lack of them), having influence on the main subject of this article. The publication deals with acknowledging information as a matter of a service. Besides, there were presented regulating concepts of the above mentioned services in the new Civil Law Code and Draft Common Frame of Reference. The article was dedicated to considering the possibility of acknowledging information, among others, as a matter of a specific-task contract, license contract, know-how contract.

Shell Closure N = 82 nuclei interpretation by the Cranked Nilsson-Strutinsky Model : 136-138Ce

A theoretical studying of nuclei in the shell closure region (N =82), in particular cerium isotopes 136-138Ce, has been made in the frame of macroscopic-microscopic, Cranked Nilsson Strutinsky (CNS)model. Many nuclear properties have been calculated and discussed: the single particle energy, the total energy, the liquid drop energy, the moments of inertia, the deformation parameters, the nuclei shape, and potential energy surfaces (PES) have been presented. High spin rotational bands of these isotopes have been studied and interpreted based on fixed configurations in the frame of CNS code. A good agreement is found with the observed results for these nuclei in the recent works.

Probability Modeled Optimal K-Frame for Erasures

It has been found that the research of a special kind of frames, named $K$ -frames where $K$ is an operator, is significant in theory and application. In this paper, first of all, in theory, we discuss some properties about the existence and structure of the $K$ -frames and the relationship between operator $K$ and $K$ -frames. And these properties provide a method to construct $K$ -frames in the following text. Next, in application, in order to use $K$ -frames to deal with the data erasures of communication, we establish a probability model. Based on this probability model and the above-mentioned properties of $K$ -frames, we construct a probability uniform Parseval $K$ -frame, such that its canonical dual is the unique probability optimal dual when $\|Kf\|\setminus \|f\| =c$ and $\|K^{+}f\|\setminus \|f\| =a$ , where both $a$ and $c$ are constants, where $K^{+}$ is the pseudoinverse for $K$ . We use $\|f\|$ to represent the norm of $f$ , where $f$ is any vector in Hilbert space. Moreover, the existence of the probability uniform Parseval $K$ -frame is discussed and then uses it to handle the problem of data erasures. Furthermore, we obtain the conditions for operator $K$ to form the $K$ -frame, which lead to the reduction of restrictions on frame sequences, and make the construction become more flexible compared with traditional frames in coding. Finally, we use three figures obtained by numerical experiments to compare the decoding effects.

Protocol for a systematic review: Universal school-based programmes for improving social and emotional outcomes in children aged 3-11 years: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Protocol for a systematic review: Universal school-based programmes for improving social and emotional outcomes in children aged 3-11 years: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

HEVC Intra Frame Coding Based on Convolutional Neural Network

The HEVC standard offers high performance with a lower bitrate for intra frame coding, but still requires many bits. An alternative intra frame coding framework based on convolutional neural network (CNN) is proposed in this paper. Two CNN models, simplified CNN (S-CNN) and complicated CNN (C-CNN), were designed and trained to improve the coding performance of HEVC. In intra frame coding, the trained CNN predicts the residual for reconstructed blocks to enhance visual quality. Due to the high computational complexity of CNN in HEVC encoding, we further explore the tradeoff between computational complexity and coding performance. For S-CNN, an early termination mechanism is proposed to further reduce the HEVC encoding complexity. With regard to C-CNN, a GPU-based heterogeneous architecture is proposed to accelerate CNN processing. Experimental results show that the proposed method with S-CNN achieves bitrate savings of 3.1% with a 37% increase in time cost, and 2.8% in bitrate savings with only a 23% increase in time cost when applying the early termination algorithm. In the case of C-CNN, the execution time of CNN can reach increases in speed of 8.8–17.8 $\times$ and a bitrate savings of up to 5.1% on average.

Fast QTBT Partition Algorithm for Intra Frame Coding through Convolutional Neural Network

The latest Joint Video Exploration Team employs quad-tree plus binary-tree (QTBT) block partitioning structure, which can improve coding performance significantly than High Efficiency Video Coding with hugely increased encoding complexity. To address this issue, we propose a novel fast QTBT partition method through a convolutional neural network (CNN). Specifically, the proposed algorithm uses CNN to predict the QTBT partition depth range of $32\times32$ block directly according to the inherent texture richness of the image, rather than to judge split or not at each depth level. For training optimization, we introduce a misclassification penalty term combined with L2 HingeLoss function, which can further boost the classification accuracy. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed method; our rate-distortion maintaining setting can achieve 42.33% complexity reduction with just 0.69% bitrate increase. Our low complexity setting can achieve 62.08% complexity reduction with 2.04% bitrate increase.

Media representations of sugar and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in UK newspapers: implications for public health policy

BackgroundSugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) have been identified as a key target for fiscal policy interventions designed to reduce sugar consumption and tackle obesity, particularly in young people. Research shows that the media have a powerful role in forming public perceptions, and thus likely acceptance, of such health policies. Our aim was to understand how newspapers play a part in shaping the acceptability of health policies in the case of SSB taxation. MethodsWe conducted quantitative content analysis of newsprint articles regarding sugar, SSBs, and taxation published in a diverse sample of 11 UK national newspapers from April 1, 2015, to Nov 30, 2016. Relevant articles were extracted by a systematic search of the Nexis database, and a structured coding frame was developed based on initial reading of a 10% subsample. A 10% subsample was double coded to ensure consistent application of codes. Frequency analysis and χ2 testing was done in SPSS (version 24). FindingsAfter exclusions, 684 relevant articles were identified. Articles were predominantly negative about sugar consumption (n=528, 77%) and SSB consumption (397, 58%), defining the problem in terms of impacts on health, primarily obesity (251, 37%). A high proportion of articles framed the problem as being driven by failures of industry (398, 58%). Discussion of potential solutions consistently focused on the need for government intervention (473, 69%) and the role that taxation could have. Peaks in reporting coincided with the publication of evidence, government policy documents, and campaigner activities. InterpretationThe problem of sugar and SSBs received substantial media attention in UK national newspapers during 2015 and 2016, particularly prompted by public health advocates and campaigners. The focus of the narrative changed over time from emphasis on the problem to discussion of potential solutions. The framing of the debate identifying failures of industry as an important driver of the problem may have contributed to a greater public acceptance of government intervention and thus helped to open a policy window for a soft drinks industry levy. FundingSupported by the UK Medical Research Council as part of the Understandings and Uses of Public Health Research programme (MC_U130085862, MC_UU_12017/6) and the Informing Healthy Public Policy programme (MC_UU_12017/15) and by the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health Directorates (SPHSU15). The funders had no role in the commissioning of the study, writing of the abstract, or decision to submit it for publication.

ICT adoption in road freight transport in Nigeria – A case study of the petroleum downstream sector

This paper advances the ICT adoption discourse to explore ICT mechanism use, adaptation and contextual influences on management strategies in Africa. A polar-type multiple case studies approach is used to guide empirical data collection across 10 individual cases. 21 interviews were conducted with top executives and these were corroborated with over 30h of non-participant observations and archival documentation from these cases. Using a tripartite coding frame, thematic and content analyses were performed to identify patterns and themes in the collected data. Findings of this study evidence ICT use at firm level with significant links to local contextual factors. Additionally, whilst affirming relationships between size and adoption, the findings also suggest an inverted parallel between both variables. The paper contributes by empirically highlighting the influence of contextual factors on ICT use in road freight transportation as well as highlighting the potential for ICT developers and OEMs to acquire innovative input from local adaptation practices within the industry.

Intra Frame Coding In Advanced Video Coding Standard (H.264) to Obtain Consistent PSNR and Reduce Bit Rate for Diagonal Down Left Mode Using Gaussian Pulse

Intra prediction process of H.264 video coding standard used to code first frame i.e. Intra frame of video to obtain good coding efficiency compare to previous video coding standard series. More benefit of intra frame coding is to reduce spatial pixel redundancy with in current frame, reduces computational complexity and provides better rate distortion performance. To code Intra frame it use existing process Rate Distortion Optimization (RDO) method. This method increases computational complexity, increases in bit rate and reduces picture quality so it is difficult to implement in real time applications, so the many researcher has been developed fast mode decision algorithm for coding of intra frame. The previous work carried on Intra frame coding in H.264 standard using fast decision mode intra prediction algorithm based on different techniques was achieved increased in bit rate, degradation of picture quality(PSNR) for different quantization parameters. Many previous approaches of fast mode decision algorithms on intra frame coding achieved only reduction of computational complexity or it save encoding time and limitation was increase in bit rate with loss of quality of picture. In order to avoid increase in bit rate and loss of picture quality a better approach was developed. In this paper developed a better approach i.e. Gaussian pulse for Intra frame coding using diagonal down left intra prediction mode to achieve higher coding efficiency in terms of PSNR and bitrate. In proposed method Gaussian pulse is multiplied with each 4x4 frequency domain coefficients of 4x4 sub macro block of macro block of current frame before quantization process. Multiplication of Gaussian pulse for each 4x4 integer transformed coefficients at macro block levels scales the information of the coefficients in a reversible manner. The resulting signal would turn abstract. Frequency samples are abstract in a known and controllable manner without intermixing of coefficients, it avoids picture getting bad hit for higher values of quantization parameters. The proposed work was implemented using MATLAB and JM 18.6 reference software. The proposed work measure the performance parameters PSNR, bit rate and compression of intra frame of yuv video sequences in QCIF resolution under different values of quantization parameter with Gaussian value for diagonal down left intra prediction mode. The simulation results of proposed algorithm are tabulated and compared with previous algorithm i.e. Tian et al method. The proposed algorithm achieved reduced in bit rate averagely 30.98% and maintain consistent picture quality for QCIF sequences compared to previous algorithm i.e. Tian et al method.

Identification of SRF-E2F1 fusion transcript in EWSR-negative myoepithelioma of the soft tissue.

Myoepithelial neoplasms (MN) are rare and not well-circumstanced entities displaying a heterogeneous spectrum of genetic abnormalities, including EWSR1, FUS and PLAG1 rearrangements. However, in the remaining MN no other fusion gene has been described and knowledge concerning secondary acquired molecular alterations is still poor. Therefore, we screened 5 cases of MN of the soft tissue by RNA sequencing with the aim of identifying novel fusion transcripts.A novel SRF-E2F1 fusion was detected in two cases: one was negative for other fusions while the other showed also the presence of FUS-KLF17. The fusion was validated through independent techniques and, in both cases, SRF-E2F1 was detected only in a subclone of the tumoral mass. SRF-E2F1 maintained the coding frame, thus leading to the translation of a chimeric protein containing the DNA-binding domain of SRF and the trans-activation domain of E2F1. Moreover, ectopical expression of SRF-E2F1 demonstrated that the chimeric transcript is functionally active and could affect tumor growth.Occurrence in two cases and biological relevance of the two genes involved suggest that the SRF-E2F1 fusion might become a helpful diagnostic tool. Further biologic studies are needed to better assess its role in MN biology.

Convolutional Neural Network-Based Block Up-Sampling for Intra Frame Coding

Inspired by the recent advances of image super-resolution using convolutional neural network (CNN), we propose a CNN-based block up-sampling scheme for intra frame coding. A block can be down-sampled before being compressed by normal intra coding, and then up-sampled to its original resolution. Different from previous studies on down/up-sampling-based coding, the up-sampling methods in our scheme have been designed by training CNN instead of hand-crafted. We explore a new CNN structure for up-sampling, which features deconvolution of feature maps, multi-scale fusion, and residue learning, making the network both compact and efficient. We also design different networks for the up-sampling of luma and chroma components, respectively, where the chroma up-sampling CNN utilizes the luma information to boost its performance. In addition, we design a two-stage up-sampling process, the first stage being within the block-by-block coding loop, and the second stage being performed on the entire frame, so as to refine block boundaries. We also empirically study how to set the coding parameters of down-sampled blocks for pursuing the frame-level rate-distortion optimization. Our proposed scheme is implemented into the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) reference software, and a comprehensive set of experiments have been performed to evaluate our methods. Experimental results show that our scheme achieves significant bits saving compared with HEVC anchor especially at low bit rates, leading to on average 5.5% BD-rate reduction on common test sequences and on average 9.0% BD-rate reduction on ultra high definition (UHD) test sequences.

A Novel Frequency Communication Technology in Power Distribution Communication Network

With the expansion of the power terminal access network scale, the main road corridor resources, branch line cable Laying difficulties has become an important factor restricting the construction of the network. In this paper, we focus on the frequency communication technology in power distribution communication network, and design a novel technology in communication mode, error correcting coding and data transfer frame format. We also discuss the influence of voltage phase difference on power frequency communication. Meanwhile, we present the application scenario Electricity information collection, electricity remote control and other power business in smart grid with the novel frequency communication technology.

Prenatal whole exome sequencing: the views of clinicians, scientists, genetic counsellors and patient representatives

Focus groups were conducted with individuals involved in prenatal diagnosis to determine their opinions relating to whole exome sequencing in fetuses with structural anomalies. Five representatives of patient groups/charities (PRGs) and eight clinical professionals (CPs) participated. Three focus groups occurred (the two groups separately and then combined). Framework analysis was performed to elicit themes. A thematic coding frame was identified based on emerging themes. Seven main themes (consent, analysis, interpretation/reinterpretation of results, prenatal issues, uncertainty, incidental findings and information access) with subthemes emerged. The main themes were raised by both groups, apart from 'analysis', which was raised by CPs only. Some subthemes were raised by PRGs and CPs (with different perspectives). Others were raised either by PRGs or CPs, showing differences in patient/clinician agendas. Prenatal consent for whole exome sequencing is not a 'perfect' process, but consent takers should be fully educated regarding the test. PRGs highlighted issues involving access to results, feeling that women want to know all information. PRGs also felt that patients want reinterpretation of results over time, whilst CPs felt that interpretation should be performed at the point of testing only. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.